‘Happy’ Minister

Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma’s remark that he is ‘happy’ over the rising prices of food items as they will benefit farmers (August 21) is quite amusing. How can price rise be a boon to farmers who are already battered by the hike in prices of farm inputs and poor remunerative prices for their produce? Inflation does not favour one section and inflict hardship on others. It is injurious to all.

S. Nadarajan,

Puducherry

The Minister’s expression of “happiness” has not only irked the common folks but also exposed the irrational approach of our elected representatives to a national crisis. It further undermines people’s faith in governance and shows how insensitive and far removed from ground realities the government is.

Piyush Kumar Rai,

Varanasi

Even though a large percentage of our population is employed in the agriculture sector, our farmers are net consumers, not net producers. Mr. Verma’s remark shows that the government has no idea of the agriculture marketing system, which is full of middlemen. Even a single paisa of price rise doesn’t benefit the poor farmers, who actually deserve the profit. If price rise is a boon to farmers, why have lakhs of them committed suicide and thousands are quitting agriculture?

The statement of Mr. Beni Prasad Verma boggles the mind. It would not be amiss to suggest that the honourable minister takes time out to see and assimilate P. Sainath's thought-provoking documentary, Nero's Guests.